LAMSIG - in-person PCE: Face your management fears: Tips for managing self, school, and team

 IATEFL Leadership and Management Special Interest  Group (LAMSIG) is organising  in Edinburgh on the 7th of April 2025, the IATEFL Pre Conference Event (PCE)

Whether we are new to academic management or consider ourselves veterans, there are some aspects of the job that we occasionally prefer to hide from. As busy managers, it is rare that we get the chance to stop and think of ways to make those things easier. This one-day workshop gives us that opportunity as we join forces and face our fears, including:

• Staying on top of our tasks and paperwork
• Getting to grips with the school finances
• Preparing for difficult conversations

Throughout the day, we will have workshops from industry experts and the chance to share experiences and tips with our peers in open forum and small group discussions.
Join us to:

• Discover new ways to deal with the challenges we face
• Get to know and learn from managers from all over the world
• Discuss ideas for best practice from a wide range of contexts

Workshop 1: Managing ourselves

Speakers: Mike Riley & Kateryna Protsenko

As a famous US President almost said, we have nothing to fear but the crushing weight of our managerial communications, bursting calendars and endless meetings. In this workshop we will look at the daily challenges we face as academic managers. Have you ever felt there are not enough hours in the day? Have you ever found that the document you looked at yesterday is suddenly impossible to locate? Have you ever sat in a meeting and questioned why you ever went into academic management in the first place? Mike and Kate will lead discussions on how we can better manage our days, avoid document overload and handle meetings effectively. We will look at practices, tools and resources -  old and new - that should help us feel calmer and more in control in the workplace.

Mike Riley

Mike Riley joined NILE as Deputy Director in 2020 after spending four years as Teacher Training Manager at Macmillan Education. He started his teaching career in 2001 working with refugees and asylum seekers in his native Manchester. He then spent 15 years working as a teacher, director of studies and school director in Milan, Italy. His role at NILE involves supporting strategic and organisational management, project management and training and consultancy in a range of areas.

Kateryna Protsenko

Kateryna Protsenko is DELTA Programme Leader at NILE and is responsible for coordinating all academic aspects of the NILE DELTA Programme. She has been in ELT for over 15 years. She has managed a number of language schools and teacher training centres, and co-authored an exam prep course book for state school leaving exams in Ukraine. She has worked as a CELTA and DELTA trainer in different countries, including Hungary, Turkey, Lebanon, Thailand, Italy, the UK, Greece, Azerbaijan, Ukraine etc. As well as working for NILE, she manages live online English lessons at Promova.

WORKSHOP 2: Managing our institution

Speaker: Eleanor Maly

In the financially turbulent world of ELT, understanding what's behind the numbers is essential for career advancement.  But managing a school’s finances can feel like a daunting task. If the P&L makes your palms sweat, and forecasting feels like a foreign language, then this workshop is for you. Join us for an engaging and supportive session where we will demystify the world of school finances. Through practical tips and hands-on exercises, you will develop the essential skills needed to confidently manage budgets, understand financial reports, and make informed financial decisions. No accounting degree required – just a willingness to learn!

Eleanor Maly

Eleanor Maly is the Director of INTO Stirling with INTO University Partnerships.   She has over 20 years' experience in international education, and 15 years' experience in school management.  She holds an Executive MBA from Cranfield University and a degree in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh.  Eleanor was previously the Director of Operations and Director of Education at IH London, and was the Regional Operations Director for Embassy English.  She has held a variety of roles as English teacher, Director of Studies, Academic Director and Centre Director, and has worked in Lesotho, Germany, Cambodia, Singapore and South Korea.  Eleanor is currently based in Dunblane with her husband and three children.

Workshop 3: Effective People Management: Navigating Difficult Conversations at Work

Speaker: Dr Reem Olaby

Difficult conversations are unavoidable in the fast-paced workplace of today, but they shouldn't be frightening. Leaders and managers who attend this hands-on workshop will explore fundamental tools and techniques to confidently and clearly negotiate difficult conversations. By means of interactive role-playing, pragmatic models such as the SBI model, and established strategies for emotional management, participants will acquire skills in offering constructive criticism, conflict resolution, and promotion of a positive, efficient workplace.

Dr Reem Olaby

Dr. Reem Olaby is Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Biotechnology – California Northstate University. With advanced degrees from The American University in Cairo and George Washington University, Reem merges her extensive scientific research experience with her passion for professional skills development. Her research on drug discovery for Hepatitis C, Malaria, and neurodegenerative disorders led to collaborations with prestigious institutions like Scripps, Caltech, and UC Davis, resulting in multiple peer-reviewed publications and patents. Beyond academia, Dr. Olaby has honed her expertise in public speaking, emotional intelligence, and cognitive time management, offering trainings that draw on her leadership in complex, high-stakes research environments. She combines her scientific rigor with emotional awareness, helping individuals and teams maximize productivity, manage time effectively, and navigate professional challenges with emotional intelligence and resilience.

You are currently booking to attend this event in person, in Edinburgh. If you want to attend this event online, please click here and make a booking for online attendance instead.

If you continue to make a booking for face to face attendance and subsequently attend online on the day of the event, no refund for the difference in price will be provided as per our terms and conditions.
Please check that you are booking for the correct event before proceeding.

To view the IATEFL event terms and conditions please click here